The Nest offers Baldwin Park residents a cocktail bar experience

It’s starts with some Black Strap rum, followed by Appleton Signature Blend and a splash of lime juice. Next comes the flavoring: a drizzle of cinnamon syrup, some apricot brandy and Orgeat, an almond syrup. It’s filled with crushed ice and topped with mint leaves, powdered sugar and Maraschino cherries. 

The Nest calls it the Tiki Punch, because it’s served in a green tiki glass and garnished with a plastic primate from a Barrel of Monkeys.

Ready for some late-night drinks? A new cocktail bar in Baldwin Park is hoping to give residents a spot to unwind – and give the night life at the Village Center a shot in the arm.

The Nest, located at 4953 New Broad St. next to Colibri Mexican Cuisine, already has regulars despite just having a grand opening in July.

What’s bringing people back? Co-owner and General Manager Ricky Galicia says it’s the quality and variety of the drinks. He adds that this isn’t your typical bar. Everything is made and prepared in-house, from the juices to the syrups, he says. Unique spirits such as Pisco, a brandy from Peru, and Mezcal, an alcoholic beverage from the agave plant in Mexico, can be found behind the counter, as well.

“One of the first things we wanted to do with The Nest is to bring a different cocktail environment into Baldwin Park,” Galicia says. “We really wanted to get away from the classic vodka sodas and things that are normally created in any other place you go to in Baldwin Park.

“You take that extra step to make it unique, from glassware to the ice to the garnishes to everything we have behind the bar,” he says.

A menu of several staple cocktails includes the Old Fashioned, the Moscow Mule and the Clover Club.

The menu is likely to change with the seasons, as well, Galicia says, and the bartenders — such as Daniel Messina — aren’t afraid to veer off the beaten path.

“These are just a few suggestions,” Messina said. “I have a thousand drinks in my head.”

The Nest is decorated to make you feel like you’re at home.  An eclectic mix of couches, chairs, coffee tables and assorted knickknacks and antiques makes it feel like the living room of a family friend — who happens to be a professional bartender. You won’t find any flatscreen TVs or projectors with the big game on though, and that’s on purpose. The Nest is a place to relax, socialize and have real, honest conversation, Galicia says.

“I want people to come in here and relax,” he says. “That’s what any bar should be all about. One of the things that we wanted people to feel is that they can have a drink or two and not feel like they have to sit upright. You can actually relax. It’s kind of like being at home.”

The Nest hopes to put its feet up and make itself cozy in the Village Center, as well. Galicia says his goal is to give the neighborhood something they don’t already have: a late-night bar.

“There’s a lot of restaurants that have a bar, but there’s really not a bar [where] you can unravel,” he says. “When I would get off work, I always wished there was a late-night spot here in Baldwin Park where I could get a decent cocktail. There was really nothing here. … It was a mission to bring the night scene back to Baldwin Park.”

Guests also can expect to see a variety of guest bartenders from Miami, New York and other cities at The Nest, showing off their own style and menu with crafted drinks they have concocted. 

Monthly tasting classes also will be held to give patrons a chance to create drinks of their own, Galicia says. A brand ambassador brings a portfolio of spirits, and teaches guests how to mix them in a cocktail lab.

Whatever brings you to The Nest, Galicia says he hopes guests will have a chance to come in, slow down and sip.